Thesis-chapter-1.docx

Cigarette smoking is one of the most prevalent and harmful habit practiced by a large number of people in the world today. The habit of smoking encompasses age, race, sex, social status and culture, as individuals from different walks of life develops an addiction to smoking each day. As each person gets introduced into the habit of cigarette smoking they unwittingly invite unto themselves different deleterious effects unto their physical health. However, smoking does not only do harm us physically, but the habit of smoking causes bad effects on our psychological, social and spiritual well-being as well

According to the World Health Organization, cigarette kills up to half of its users. Cigarette kills nearly 6 million people each year. More than five million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while more than 600 000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. Unless urgent action is taken, the annual death toll could rise to more than eight million by 2030. Nearly 80% of the world's one billion smokers live in low- and middle-income countries. (www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs339/en/)

Three surveys on the current trend of tobacco smoking in the country were reported last summer. The 1999 DOH study said that one out of three Filipinos smoke, while one out of three doctors smoke in front of their patients. The 2000 Philippine Global Youth Tobacco Survey revealed that children are not spared from smoking even at home as 59% of parents smoke. (PD Inquirer, May 26) The third study commissioned by the National Youth Council yielded, among its results, that four million Filipino youth are hooked on smoking. (Daily Tribune, May 29) The biggest “tobacco issue” of the year did not hit the news until July when president Macapagal-Arroyo gave the green light to Philip Morris to establish its main hub in Asia in the country. The decision of the president sparked negative opinions from the public and elicited sympathy for the health secretary. Running priest Fr. Robert Reyes accused the President of selling out public health welfare in exchange for millions of dollars in foreign investment. (PD Inquirer, July 14) At least 56 anti-smoking groups vowed to intensify their campaign by asking the president to cancel the Philip Morris project because its operation will create more smokers among Filipinos and increase the incidence of deaths due to smoking-related diseases. (Manila Bulletin, July 23) Despite criticisms, however, President Macapagal-Arroyo and former leader Fidel Ramos supported the Youth Smoking Prevention (YSP) program of Philip Morris during the groundbreaking rites in Batangas. The President even urged the company to closely coordinate

with the DOH in expanding the coverage of YSP so that national health officials would not be having second thoughts the next time they would be invited to grace any event of the company. Philip Morris disclosed that they have communicated with the WHO their willingness to work with them on a comprehensive global treaty and with individual governments on a national legislation regulating the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of cigarettes. Its executives also reportedly sought legislation of the minimum age on smoking to keep cigarettes from minors. (Philippine Star, July 27)(http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/1356.html) In a need to respond to this grave issue in our country, a large number of local governments here in the Philippines took to their own hands in passing implementing, and enforcing city ordinances to prevent and to alleviate ‘the smoking epidemic’ in the country. In our research study, we chose the city of Davao as our reference of comparison with regards to the antismoking programs since Davao city is an ‘epitome’ city that represents what an effective executive and police authorities can do in order to minimize, if not to truly alleviate, the spread of the practice of smoking for the benefits and well-being of the people here in Davao City. The Executive order 04 series of 2013 in Davao city sets forth the implementation and enforcement of the rules and regulations concerning the prohibition of smoking in Davao city, also known as the Anti-smoking ordinance No. 0367-12.

Objectives of the Study: This study aims : 1. To describe the socio-demographic profile of the selected respondents of Davao City and Panabo City. 2. To determine the level of efficiency of the said ordinance in Davao City and Panabo City. 3. To evaluate the level of efficiency of the said ordinance in both Davao City and Panabo City. 4. To evaluate the level of awareness of the respondents, namely the executive branches of both Panabo City and Davao City and the stakeholders and consumers of cigarettes. Definition of terms: Awareness- refers to the state or ability of the respondents to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious on the said Anti-Smoking Ordinance Assessment- evaluation or review, appraisal, or estimation of the ability, quality, or aptitude of the said Anti-Smoking Ordinance in both Davao City and Panabo City Socio-Demographic Profile-refers to the age, educational attainment, civil status, income and gender of the respondents Respondents-refers to the selected members of the Executive Branches of both Panabo city and Davao City, the selected stakeholders, and the cigarette consumers of both Panabo City and Davao City. Ordinance No. 0367-12-refers to Davao City’s comprehensive anti-smoking ordinance

Scope and Limitation This study focused on the Anti-Smoking Ordinance of Davao City and Panabo City. This study covers only the selected respondents namely the consumers of cigarettes and those in the Executive branches of both Panabo City and Davao City. The study also determines the sociodemographic profile of the selected consumers of cigarettes and the Executive branches and their level of awareness and the level of efficiency on the nimplementation of the Anti-Smoking Ordinance.

Significance of the Study This study is important for it assessed the levels of awareness of the respondents namely the consumers of cigarettes in Davao City and Panabo City and the level of efficiency in the implementation of the said Anti-Smoking Ordinance by the executive branches of both cities. It is also helpful towards the different institutions and agents in the society namely: Government- on to what extent should the government authority would do in enforcing rules and ordinances for the betterment of the society or community

Community- this study can benefit the community in the sense that it can provide them the necessary avenues of informations of the said ordinance and the implementation of it. Political Science- It could also help the Political Science department in their discussion on some related subjects that discusses the public policies and its implementations, specifically in the subjects namely Political Analysis, Public Administration , Political Theories and Political Sociology. Future Researchers- This also benefit the future researches by providing them related concepts about our said topic.